The Personist
07/29/08, 08:23 PM
October Nites - When We Were Infinite
Record Label: None
Release Date: August 14, 2007
The pop/rock and pop-punk scene is one that has become quickly overpopulated by watered-down New Found Glory wannabes simply looking to make a quick dime with a boring sound. Thankfully, there are a few bands whose main concern is not money but making music that is both refreshing and fun. I can safely say that Syracuse, New York’s October Nites falls into the second category. The seven-song When We Were Infinite is a solid release that paints a promising portrait of fresh and energizing pop-punk.
The first song is merely a sixteen-second piano lead-in for “Love According To Kid ‘N Play,” which bursts out of the gate with driving rhythms and bouncing lead guitars. The straightforward lyrics are earnestly delivered, as lead singer Steve Gage sings, “Tonight it feels so right / And as we speak our worlds collide / Into the darkness of this moonlit sky / You know it’s been so long / And all the time that I’ve been gone I’ve been thinking about you baby.” Though certainly not the deepest of verses, these lyrics are from the heart and bring a similar charm that those of New Found Glory do to the table. Gage’s voice is accessible and pleasing to the ear, not to mention untouched by studio trickery (a definite plus in my book), and Naren Ananda’s harmonies are the icing on the cake.
“California? It’s Kind Of A Long Story...” slows it down a bit, but a slower tempo does not a boring song make. Brandon Wakeham’s drumming is on-point; it drives the mid-tempo tune tastefully yet still in such a fashion that it showcases his own proficiency at the kit. This track segues into the rocking “Give It A Try”; this song does pop-punk right: the plaintive lyrics are sung with what is arguably Gage’s best delivery on the album, in a style similar to Jordan Pundik’s (without being too similar, though; it’s more an homage than a rip-off). A halftime section with gang vocals gives way to a blistering solo from Ananda, which shows the world that he knows his way around a fret board. His guitar playing in general is noteworthy, and though I at first raised an inquisitive eyebrow at the use of “dragon-slaying solos” in the “sounds like” section of October Nites’ Myspace, the lead guitar in this song alone justifies that description.
The next song is a perfect ballad. “So Tell Me...” features lead guitar that wouldn’t be out of place on a Motley Crue or Poison song, but the song itself does not succumb to that sort of hair metal melodrama. It is another track full of earnest heartache and melancholy. Gage’s voice rings out beautifully as he laments, “You paint a cloud over me,” a line that leads into a harmony-laden chorus that will stick in your head for days. “It’s Over Now” is probably the angriest song on the album. Gage says outright, “I’ve spent way too much time on you,” and though the song itself is a peppy and upbeat number, it is ultimately the weakest on the album, as it succumbs to the melodrama that When We Were Infinite for the most part avoids. Calling it a low point isn’t to say that it won’t lead to toe-tapping or head-bobbing, however; it’s still a catchy and fun pop song, even if it doesn’t soar quite as high as the other songs here. The album ends with “TGIF,” which features a chorus so saccharine that it threatens to induce a sugar coma in the best possible way. Ananda’s guitar leads subtly accent the verses, ultimately ending this album on a high note.
October Nites have here created a debut deserving of your attention. The biggest problem with this album is its brevity; clocking in at a mere 21-minutes, When We Were Infinite shows the incredible potential had by this little band from Syracuse but leaves the listener wishing for more. Nevertheless, they have created a fun album with the pop sensibilities of Cartel and New Found Glory, but have done so in a way that helps maintain the very organic feel of Pinkerton-era Weezer and earlier Dashboard Confessional. All in all, When We Were Infinite is a solid debut and a fun record throughout. October Nites is not signed as yet, but if these songs have anything to say about it, they soon will be.
New Found Glory, Cartel, All Time Low, Fall Out Boy, Hit the Lights, pop that's fun without being derivative
myspace.com/octobernites (http://www.myspace.com/octobernites)
Record Label: None
Release Date: August 14, 2007
The pop/rock and pop-punk scene is one that has become quickly overpopulated by watered-down New Found Glory wannabes simply looking to make a quick dime with a boring sound. Thankfully, there are a few bands whose main concern is not money but making music that is both refreshing and fun. I can safely say that Syracuse, New York’s October Nites falls into the second category. The seven-song When We Were Infinite is a solid release that paints a promising portrait of fresh and energizing pop-punk.
The first song is merely a sixteen-second piano lead-in for “Love According To Kid ‘N Play,” which bursts out of the gate with driving rhythms and bouncing lead guitars. The straightforward lyrics are earnestly delivered, as lead singer Steve Gage sings, “Tonight it feels so right / And as we speak our worlds collide / Into the darkness of this moonlit sky / You know it’s been so long / And all the time that I’ve been gone I’ve been thinking about you baby.” Though certainly not the deepest of verses, these lyrics are from the heart and bring a similar charm that those of New Found Glory do to the table. Gage’s voice is accessible and pleasing to the ear, not to mention untouched by studio trickery (a definite plus in my book), and Naren Ananda’s harmonies are the icing on the cake.
“California? It’s Kind Of A Long Story...” slows it down a bit, but a slower tempo does not a boring song make. Brandon Wakeham’s drumming is on-point; it drives the mid-tempo tune tastefully yet still in such a fashion that it showcases his own proficiency at the kit. This track segues into the rocking “Give It A Try”; this song does pop-punk right: the plaintive lyrics are sung with what is arguably Gage’s best delivery on the album, in a style similar to Jordan Pundik’s (without being too similar, though; it’s more an homage than a rip-off). A halftime section with gang vocals gives way to a blistering solo from Ananda, which shows the world that he knows his way around a fret board. His guitar playing in general is noteworthy, and though I at first raised an inquisitive eyebrow at the use of “dragon-slaying solos” in the “sounds like” section of October Nites’ Myspace, the lead guitar in this song alone justifies that description.
The next song is a perfect ballad. “So Tell Me...” features lead guitar that wouldn’t be out of place on a Motley Crue or Poison song, but the song itself does not succumb to that sort of hair metal melodrama. It is another track full of earnest heartache and melancholy. Gage’s voice rings out beautifully as he laments, “You paint a cloud over me,” a line that leads into a harmony-laden chorus that will stick in your head for days. “It’s Over Now” is probably the angriest song on the album. Gage says outright, “I’ve spent way too much time on you,” and though the song itself is a peppy and upbeat number, it is ultimately the weakest on the album, as it succumbs to the melodrama that When We Were Infinite for the most part avoids. Calling it a low point isn’t to say that it won’t lead to toe-tapping or head-bobbing, however; it’s still a catchy and fun pop song, even if it doesn’t soar quite as high as the other songs here. The album ends with “TGIF,” which features a chorus so saccharine that it threatens to induce a sugar coma in the best possible way. Ananda’s guitar leads subtly accent the verses, ultimately ending this album on a high note.
October Nites have here created a debut deserving of your attention. The biggest problem with this album is its brevity; clocking in at a mere 21-minutes, When We Were Infinite shows the incredible potential had by this little band from Syracuse but leaves the listener wishing for more. Nevertheless, they have created a fun album with the pop sensibilities of Cartel and New Found Glory, but have done so in a way that helps maintain the very organic feel of Pinkerton-era Weezer and earlier Dashboard Confessional. All in all, When We Were Infinite is a solid debut and a fun record throughout. October Nites is not signed as yet, but if these songs have anything to say about it, they soon will be.
New Found Glory, Cartel, All Time Low, Fall Out Boy, Hit the Lights, pop that's fun without being derivative
myspace.com/octobernites (http://www.myspace.com/octobernites)